Construction piling

ABSTRACT

A foundation support apparatus is provided and includes a tubular piling with a rib of material fixed to an exterior or outer surface of the piling. The rib provides improved total resistive force capabilities for the support apparatus, as compared to a bare piling. The rib is positioned and dimensioned as to not impede the installation of the piling. The rib may be circular or helical, continuous or discontinuous, and is disposed coaxial with a longitudinal axis of the piling. The foundation support apparatus may be manufactured on a construction site to readily improve the load capacity of various types of vertical foundational systems, such as driven pilings. The foundation support apparatus may be encased or backfilled with grout materials which harden around the ribs of the apparatus forming an interlocking engagement between the grout and the ribs, thereby increasing load resistance capabilities of the support apparatus.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 63/024,880, filed May 14, 2020, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to building foundation structures, and in particular to pile type foundations.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to foundation support apparatuses, such as pilings, that provide a stable platform upon which a building structure can be supported. Pilings interact with ground substrates in multiple ways, including “end bearing” in which the lowest end of the piling contacts and bears on a ground substrate, as well as via “skin friction” in which frictional forces transfer loads between the piling's exterior side surfaces and the ground substrate. End bearing provides normal force to counteract vertical loads while the skin friction provides a shear force to also counteract vertical loads. The end bearing and the skin friction cooperate to provide a total resistive force to counteract loads acting through the piling. Skin friction of a piling is determined by the physical interaction between the piling and the material surrounding and contacting the piling. Some common piling types include hammer-driven pilings, helical pilings, and auger-cast drilled pilings, all of which can be grouted. Grouted pilings are generally installed in a bore hole that is larger in diameter than the cylindrical piling, and then the space between the piling and the larger diameter hole is filled with a flowable, hardening substrate, such as cementitious grout. Grout may be pumped through a hollow opening in the interior of a piling to direct grout down to and around the lower portion of the piling, either as it is being installed or after the piling has reached its final depth.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a foundation support apparatus for supporting a supporting a structure from below the structure. The support apparatus is particularly useful with deep foundation types such as driven and helical piles disposed in a ground substrate including various types of soils and bedrock. The support apparatus includes a tubular piling with a portion of the piling including a rib of material fixed to an exterior surface of the piling. The rib provides improved total resistive force capabilities for the support apparatus, as compared to the combination of end bearing and skin friction provided by a bare, unimproved piling (i.e. a typical piling without ribs added). The rib is positioned and dimensioned as to not impede the installation of the piling as the piling is installed into the soil substrate. The total resistive force capabilities of the apparatus are improved by the inclusion of the rib by providing additional normal force to counteract the vertical load acting on the support apparatus. The piling may be constructed from a commercially available tubular member, such as steel schedule 40 piping.

A beneficial aspect of the foundation support apparatus of the present invention is that it may be deployed or manufactured in the field/on-site (e.g. on the construction site) to provide a cost effective and time efficient means for improving the load capacity of various types of vertical foundational systems, including driven pilings, helical pilings, auger displacement drilled pilings, and the like. The foundation support apparatus is particularly useful for foundation systems which are encased or backfilled with flowable, hardening grout materials. The piling of the foundation support apparatus may include a hollow interior configured to receive a flowable, hardening substance through the hollow interior. A grout fill port may be formed through an upper portion of the apparatus to receive grout from a grout dispensing system and direct the grout through the hollow interior of the apparatus.

According to one form of the present invention, a foundation support apparatus includes a piling having an elongate cylindrical body and a rib disposed on and extending radially outward from an exterior surface of the cylindrical body. The rib is configured to increase the resistive force capability of the piling by improving engagement of the exterior of the cylindrical body within a ground substrate or a flowable, hardening grout once the grout has hardened and cured around the rib. The rib is configured to substantially not impede or facilitate the installation of the piling into the ground substrate. In one aspect, the foundation support apparatus includes a plurality of the ribs, with each of the plurality of ribs disposed in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of the elongate cylindrical body.

In another aspect, the plurality of ribs are each disposed substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate cylindrical body such that each rib is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the elongate cylindrical body. In yet another aspect, each of the plurality of ribs extends substantially around the entire exterior circumference of the elongate cylindrical body. Alternatively, the ribs may extend only partially around the exterior circumference of the elongate cylindrical body. The ribs may be defined by a piece of steel welded to the exterior of the body. Optionally, a weld is applied to the exterior of the body and the material deposited by the weld defines the rib of material.

In yet another aspect, the rib defines a helical pattern that winds and extends along the exterior of the elongate cylindrical body. The helical rib has a central axis that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the elongate cylindrical body. The foundation support apparatus may include a plurality of the helical ribs, with each of the plurality of helical ribs disposed in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of the elongate cylindrical body. The helical ribs may be defined by a piece of steel welded to the exterior of the body. Optionally, a weld is applied to the exterior of the body in a helical pattern and the material deposited by the weld defines the helical rib of material.

In still another aspect, the foundation support apparatus includes another elongate cylindrical body disposed at one end of the piling forming an elongate cylindrical assembly. The other elongate cylindrical body may be disposed at an upper end of the piling and extend beyond an upper boundary of the ground surface. The elongate cylindrical assembly provides for extended depth of the foundation support apparatus as required in deep substrates to achieve sufficient resistive force to counteract the load applied to the apparatus.

In another form of the present invention, a method is provided for preparing and installing a foundation piling for improved resistive force capability of the piling. The method includes the steps of selecting an elongated foundation piling, such as a tubular driven piling, on a construction site for installation at a desired location of the site. After selecting the piling, a grout engageable element or member, such as in the form of a rib of material, is then attached to a portion of an exterior surface of the foundation piling while the foundation piling is located at the construction site. The ribbed foundation piling is then ready to be installed, wherein the method includes installing the foundation piling substantially vertically into and through a ground surface at the desired location of the construction site. Finally, the method includes directing a flowable, hardening substance, such as a grout, around at least the portion the foundation piling having the grout engageable rib. After the grout has hardened, the rib and the grout cooperate to resist a load applied to the foundation piling, thereby increasing the total resistive force capacity of the apparatus as compared to the apparatus without the grout engageable rib of material.

In one aspect, fixedly attaching the rib includes mechanically fastening (e.g. weld, bolt, screw, etc.) the rib onto the exterior surface of the foundation piling. In another aspect, a plurality of ribs a fixed to a portion of the exterior surface of the foundation piling and the ribs are spaced apart from one another and positioned along a portion of the length of the foundation piling wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends radially outward from the exterior surface of the foundation piling. The ribs may be oriented such that each of the ribs are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling and each of the ribs is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling. Optionally, each of the ribs may extend substantially continuously around the entire exterior circumference of the foundation piling or the ribs may only extend partially and discontinuously around the exterior circumference of the foundation piling. A combination of continuous and discontinuous perpendicular ribs may also be attached to the exterior surface of the foundation piling, if desired. In yet another aspect, the rib may be defined by a helical shape with a central axis that is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling.

In yet another form of the present invention, a method is provided for field or on-site improving of a foundation piling to improve its resistive force capability. The method includes determining whether a desired location for a foundation piling on a construction site requires a foundation piling having additional resistive force capability to support an intended or design load. The determination of whether the foundation piling requires additional resistive force may be determined as a function of the substrate conditions at the desired location or the condition and quality of the grout that is used with the foundation piling on-site. If it is determined that the desired location requires an improved foundation piling with improved resistive force capability, the method includes selecting an elongated foundation piling that requires additional resistive force capability from a location on the construction site. The selected foundation piling to be installed at the desired location of the site to support the intended or designed load. The method then includes coupling a grout engageable element or member onto an exterior surface of the foundation piling while the foundation piling is located at the construction site to form a field-improved foundation piling. The field-improved foundation piling is then ready to be installed in and through the ground surface, such as by placing the improved foundation piling into a bore hole in the ground surface at the desired location of the construction site. The bore hole having a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the improved foundation piling. Once the foundation piling is installed in the ground surface, a flowable, hardening grout is directed around at least the portion the improved foundation piling having the grout engageable member. After the grout has hardened, the grout engageable member and the grout cooperate to resist a load applied to the improved foundation piling.

In one aspect, the grout engageable member is chosen from a plurality of spaced apart ribs which are substantially perpendicular and coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling, a helical rib having a central axis that is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling, and a raised rib formed by depositing material by a weld application on the exterior surface of the foundation piling. The grout engageable member may be piece of material, such as an annular piece of steel, which is attached to the foundation piling by welding (or by another readily available form of mechanically fastening) the piece of material onto the exterior surface of the foundation piling.

In another aspect, directing a flowable, hardening grout includes directing the grout through a hollow interior of the improved foundation piling and discharging some of the grout from the hollow interior through a hole in the body of the foundation piling which is formed between the hollow interior and the exterior surface of the piling. The hole permits the grout to discharge from the hollow interior to encase some or all of the grout engageable member on the exterior surface of the improved foundation piling.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a cost effective and time efficient foundation support apparatus that can be deployed or manufactured on a construction site when improved load resistive force capabilities of a foundation are required at the construction site. This may be particularly useful where soil substrate conditions are such that a conventional piling may be inadequate to support the load desired of it. The method provides a user the ability to add material to the exterior of a foundation support apparatus to improve the resistive force capability of the apparatus on the construction site, without significant pre-planning and without pre-fabricating the apparatus off-site. The apparatus of the present invention is particularly useful with tubular piling type foundations, including pre-fabricated, commercially available steel pipe. The rib of material may be added to only a portion of the length of the piling, or may be applied along the entire length of the piling, as required to attain the necessary increase in load resistive force capability.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of this invention will become apparent upon review of the following specification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevation view of a driven type pile foundation including a foundation pile extension having continuous perpendicular ribs in accordance with the present invention, the pile foundation depicted in a soil profile;

FIG. 2 is an elevation view of a helical type pile foundation including a foundation pile extension having continuous perpendicular ribs in accordance with the present invention, the pile foundation depicted in a soil profile;

FIG. 3 is an elevation view of another driven type pile foundation including a foundation pile extension having a helical rib in accordance with the present invention, the pile foundation depicted in a soil profile;

FIG. 4 is an elevation view of the driven pile foundation with pile extension of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is an elevation view of the helical pile foundation with pile extension of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is an elevation view of the driven pile foundation with pile extension of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged elevation view of the pile extension of FIG. 1 depicting the continuous perpendicular ribs;

FIG. 8 is a top plan view of the pile extension of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged elevation view of the pile extension of FIG. 3, depicting the helical rib; and

FIG. 10 is a top plan view of the pile extension of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an elevation view of another driven type pile foundation including a foundation pile extension having discontinuous perpendicular ribs in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged elevation view of the pile extension of FIG. 11 depicting the discontinuous perpendicular ribs;

FIG. 13 is a top plan view of the pile extension of FIG. 11;

FIG. 14 is a sectional elevation view of the driven end tip of the pile extension of FIG. 11, taken along the longitudinal axis of the driven pile foundation;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the region designated XV in FIG. 11;

FIG. 16 is an enlarged view of the region designated XVI in FIGS. 11 and 12; and

FIG. 17 is a flow chart depicting a method for improving the total resistive force capability of a foundation support apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depicted therein, a foundation support apparatus 10 is provided for supporting a superjacent structure, such as a building, at or upon a subjacent substrate 12, such as various types of soils and bedrock (FIG. 1). Optionally, the support apparatus 10 may be used as an add-on to a traditional helical screw anchor. The support apparatus 10 includes a pile or piling 14 including a pile or piling extension 16 with a grout engageable element or member, such as a rib of raised material 18, fixed to an exterior surface of an elongate cylindrical body 20 of the piling extension 16. The rib 18 provides improved total resistive force capabilities for the support apparatus 10, as compared to the combination of end bearing and skin friction provided by the substantially bare exterior surface of an unimproved piling 14 without a rib 18. The rib 18 is positioned and dimensioned as to not impede or facilitate the installation of the piling 14 when the piling 14 is installed into the soil substrate 12, such as by impact driving the piling 14 from above or insertion into a bore hole. The total resistive force capabilities of the apparatus 10 are improved by the inclusion of the rib 18, which provides additional normal force against the substrate 12 and/or grout encasing the apparatus 10 to counteract the vertical load acting on the support apparatus 10.

The foundation support apparatus 10 may be deployed or manufactured in the field/on-site (e.g. on the construction site) to provide a cost effective and time efficient means for improving the load capacity of various types of vertical foundational systems, including driven pilings, helical pilings, auger drilled pilings, and the like. The foundation support apparatus 10 is particularly useful for foundation systems which are encased or backfilled with flowable, hardening grout materials, wherein the grout and the apparatus bond with one another as the grout hardens and cures. The piling extension 16 may be disposed at one end of the piling 14, with another element of the support apparatus 10, such as a pile cap 22 (FIG. 1), a driving tip 23 (FIG. 1), or an augured drilling extension 24 (FIG. 5), disposed at the same end or an opposite end of the piling 14. The piling 14 may be defined by an elongate hollow tubing having an outer diameter and inner diameter, such as steel “schedule 40” pipe.

As shown in the illustrative embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 4, the foundation support apparatus 10 includes the piling 14 defined by the elongate cylindrical body 20. A portion of the cylindrical body 20 is formed by the piling extension 16 that includes the rib 18 disposed along the exterior surface of the elongate cylindrical body 20 of the extension 16. Optionally, the piling 14 may include a plurality of elongate cylindrical bodies 20 coupled to one another in an end-to-end arrangement as desired to reach a sufficient foundational depth. A coupling element 30 may be provided between the elongate bodies 20, such as shown in FIGS. 1, 4, 7 and 8. In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 4, the piling extension 16, including the rib 18, provides improved total resistive force capabilities as compared to a conventional piling having no ribs. After the piling 14 is installed in the ground substrate and encased in flowable, hardening grout 26, the grout 26 hardens and forms an interlocking bond or engagement with the rib 18 (FIG. 1). Thus, the bond of the grout 26 with the rib 18 increases the resistance to vertical movement of the piling 14 within the grout 26, and thereby provides improved total resistive force of the apparatus 10 as compared to the combination of end bearing and skin friction alone for a conventional piling. The piling extension 16 may have a hollow interior 32 within the elongate cylindrical body 20, wherein the hollow interior 32 (FIG. 8) is configured to receive flowable, hardening grout 26, either during installation or after final placement of the apparatus 10 in the substrate 12.

A bore hole 13 in which the apparatus 10 is to be installed may be formed or established in the substrate 12 prior to installation of the apparatus 10 (FIG. 1). The bore hole 13 may be provided with a diameter that is larger than that of the exterior diameter of the rib 18 and maximum exterior diameter of the apparatus 10 such that when the apparatus 10 is installed into the bore hole 13, the rib 18 may avoid contacting the sides of the bore hole 13. After installation of the apparatus 10 into the bore hole 13, the bore hole is filled with the flowable, hardening grout 26 and the rib and grout 26 form a bond as the grout 26 hardens.

Alternatively, the apparatus 10 may be pounded into a virgin substrate. In such circumstances, the rib 18 is positioned and dimensioned such that it will preferably introduce only minimal additional resistance during the installation/driving of the foundation support apparatus 10. After installation, the ribs 18 provide increased total resistive force of the apparatus 10 upon settlement and engagement of the disturbed substrate material around the ribs 18 or upon the hardening and bonding between the ribs 18 and installed grout 26. As the apparatus 10 is being driven, the ribs 18 introduce additional normal forces via interaction with the ground substrate 12 which must be overcome to install/drive the apparatus 10 into the substrate 12. The ribs 18 are preferably dimensioned to minimize these additional normal forces introduced during installation as the ribs 18 are not primarily intended to facilitate or impede installation of the apparatus 10 into the ground substrate 12. Optionally, for driven/pounding installation scenarios, the apparatus 10 includes the hollow interior 32, such that during installation or after final placement of the apparatus 10 in the substrate 12, grout 26 may be pumped through the hollow interior 32 and discharged through holes disposed along the elongate body 20 (for example, see hole 39 in FIG. 16). The grout 26 discharged through the body 20 at least partially encases the exterior of the apparatus 10 to form a bond with the ribs 18 as the grout hardens. The bond between the ribs 18 and the discharged and subsequently hardened grout 26 provide increased total resistive force of the apparatus 10.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the foundation support apparatus 10 includes a plurality of the perpendicular ribs 18, which are disposed in spaced arrangement along the exterior surface of the piling extension 16. The piling 14 depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4 is a driven-type piling (i.e. the piling 14 is hammered or pounded into and through the substrate 12). Each of the plurality of ribs 18 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the piling 14 and the ribs 18 extend radially outward from the exterior surface of the piling extension 16, as best illustrated in FIG. 7. Further, the ribs 18 are substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the piling 14 and the ribs 18 extend substantially continuously around the entire circumference of the exterior surface of the cylindrical body 20, as best shown in FIG. 8. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the piling extension 16 forms the lower driving end portion of the piling 14, with the upper portion of the piling 14 remaining bare (i.e. without ribs 18). While the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 4 depict the ribs 18 as located along only a portion of the piling extension 16, the ribs 18 may also be located in spaced arrangement along substantially the entire length of the piling 14, if desired.

In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 5, another foundation support apparatus 10 a includes the piling extension 16 having a plurality of the continuous perpendicular ribs 18 disposed in spaced arrangement along and extending radially outward from the exterior surface of the piling extension 16, which forms an upper portion of the apparatus 10 a. The piling of apparatus 10 a is a helical type piling 14 a (i.e. an auger type piling that is inserted into the substrate 12 at least in part by rotation rather than pounding, and is supported within the substrate 12 at least partially by its own helical auger plates 28). The helical auger plates 28 are disposed in spaced arrangement along an auger drilling extension 24 that forms the lower portion of the piling 14 a. The auger plates 28 may vary in diameter, such as with the smallest diameter plate 28 a at the bottom of the apparatus 10 a and the largest diameter plate 28 c at a higher position on the apparatus 10 a (FIG. 5). In the illustrated embodiment, the portions of the helical type piling 14 a between the auger plates 28 do not include ribs 18 (FIGS. 2 and 5). While the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 2 and 5 depict the ribs 18 as located along only a portion of the piling extension 16 that is above the helical piling 14 a, the ribs 18 may also be located in spaced arrangement along substantially the entire length of the piling 14 a, such as between the auger plates 28.

As the apparatus 10 a is being installed, the helical auger plates 28 rotate and form or establish a bore hole 15 in the substrate 12 (FIG. 2) by loosening the substrate material below the plates 28 and directing the loosened substrate material upward above the plates 28 as the apparatus 10 a continues downward into the substrate 12. Optionally, the auger plates 28 may be continuous along the piling 14 a to draw the loosened substrate material out of the bore hole 15 to allow grout 26 to fill the void between the piling 14 a and the sides of the bore hole 15. The diameter of the bore hole 15 is substantially larger than the exterior diameter of the rib 18. As such, during installation, the rib 18 substantially avoids contacting the virgin substrate at the sides of the bore hole 15 and the ribs 18 interact with the loosened substrate material above the auger plates 28. Because the ribs 18 do not interact with the more compact virgin substrate, the ribs 18 introduce only minimal additional normal or friction forces which must be overcome to install the apparatus 10 a into the substrate 12. The ribs 18 are not primarily intended to facilitate or impede installation of the apparatus 10 a into the ground substrate 12 and the significant normal or friction forces provided by the ribs 18 are not experienced until the grout has hardened and cured around the ribs 18.

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 6, another foundation support apparatus 10 b includes a piling 14 b that includes a helically ribbed piling extension 16 b. The piling 14 b of FIGS. 3 and 6 is a driven type piling similar to the piling 14 of FIGS. 1 and 4. The piling extension 16 b includes a helical rib 18 b fixed along the exterior surface of the elongate cylindrical body 20 of the extension 16 b (FIGS. 3 and 6). The helical rib 18 b includes a central axis that is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the elongate cylindrical body 20 (FIGS. 9-10). Optionally, a plurality of helical ribs may be disposed in offset spaced arrangement with one another around the exterior surface of the cylindrical body 20 to provide additional total resistive force capabilities of the apparatus 10 b. Also optionally, the piling 14 b of support apparatus 10 b may include a plurality of elongate cylindrical bodies 20 coupled to one another in end-to-end arrangement as desired to reach a sufficient foundational depth. One of the above-referenced coupling elements 30 may extend between adjacent ones of the elongate bodies 20 to secure them together (FIGS. 3, 6, and 9-10).

In the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 6, the piling extension 16 b, including the helical rib 18 b, provides improved total resistive force capabilities of the apparatus 10 b as compared to a conventional piling without a rib. After the support apparatus 10 b is installed in the ground substrate 12 and encased in flowable, hardening grout 26, the grout 26 hardens and forms an interlocking bond or engagement with the rib 18 b (FIG. 3). Thus, the engagement of the grout 26 with the rib 18 b resists vertical movement of the support apparatus 10 b within the grout 26 and thereby provides improved total resistive force of the apparatus 10 b as compared to the combination of end bearing and skin friction alone. The piling 14 b of support apparatus 10 b may include a hollow interior 34 within the elongate cylindrical body 20 (FIG. 10), wherein the hollow interior 34 is configured to receive flowable, hardening grout 26. While the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 3 and 6 depict the ribs 18 b as located along only a portion of the piling extension 16 b, the ribs 18 b may also be located in spaced arrangement along substantially the entire length of the piling 14 b. Similar to the support apparatus 10 described above, the support apparatus 10 b may be installed into a pre-formed bore hole 13 or by pounding the apparatus 10 b into a virgin substrate 12. While the helical ribs 18 b are not primarily intended to facilitate or impede installation of the apparatus 10 a into the ground substrate 12, the helical ribs 18 b may guide the apparatus 10 b downward into the substrate 12 if the apparatus 10 b is being rotationally driven into the substrate 12 (i.e. the apparatus 10 b may be screwed into the substrate 12 as opposed to augured or pounded).

In the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 11-16, another foundation support apparatus 10 c includes a piling extension 16 c having a plurality of the discontinuous perpendicular ribs 18 c disposed in spaced arrangement along the exterior surface of the piling extension 16 c, which forms a lower portion of the apparatus 10 c. Foundation support apparatus 10 c is configured similarly and functions in similar fashion to apparatus 10 described above, and includes many identical or substantially similar components, with significant differences discussed hereinafter. In particular, the perpendicular ribs 18 c of apparatus 10 c are discontinuous unlike the continuous ribs 18 of apparatus 10. In other words, and as best illustrated in FIG. 16, perpendicular ribs 18 c do not extend substantially continuously around the entire circumference of the exterior surface of the cylindrical body 20 of piling extension 16 c. Instead, perpendicular ribs 18 c extend only partially around the circumference of the exterior surface of the cylindrical body 20 of piling extension 16 c. As illustrated in FIGS. 11, 12, and 16, each rib 18 c is offset or unaligned relative to immediately adjacent ribs 18 c. In other words, the discontinuity 19 of each rib 18 c is offset or not aligned relative to the discontinuity 19 of the immediately adjacent ribs 18 c (FIG. 16). It will be appreciated however, that each of the discontinuous ribs 18 c may have substantially aligned discontinuities 19 relative to one another, if desired. Discontinuous ribs 18 c provide different characteristics as compared to continuous ribs 18, for example, discontinuous ribs 18 c are lighter than continuous ribs of similar cross-sectional dimensions, therefore reducing the overall material weight of apparatus 10 c. Discontinuous ribs 18 c may be more easily installed onto the piling body 20 than continuous ribs. Substrate conditions in which the foundation support apparatus is to be installed may dictate whether continuous or discontinuous ribs should be utilized. While the illustrated embodiment of FIGS. 11-16 depict the ribs 18 c as located along only a portion of the piling extension 16 c, the ribs 18 c may also be located in spaced arrangement along substantially the entire length of the piling 14 c, if desired.

The piling 14 c of support apparatus 10 c includes a hollow interior 36 within the elongate cylindrical body 20 (FIG. 13), wherein the hollow interior 36 is configured to receive flowable, hardening grout. The piling 14 c includes a grout fill port, in the form of a threaded fitting 38, that is provided to receive flowable grout from a grout dispensing system and to direct the grout into the hollow interior 36 and toward the driving end of the support apparatus 10 c (FIG. 15). For example, a threaded pipe fitting 38 may by welded to the body 20 of the piling 14 c and form a hole from the exterior of the body 20 to the hollow interior 36. A technician may then threadably couple a grout supply line to the threaded fitting 38 and proceed with dispensing the grout into the hollow interior 36. A grout discharge aperture or hole 39 is provided along a portion of the body 20 of the piling extension 16 c to permit flowable, hardening grout to dispense out of the hollow interior 36 and to encase or surround at least some of the ribs 18 c in proximity to the hole 39 (FIG. 16). It will be appreciated that many holes similar to hole 39 may be provided along the length of the body of the piling extension 16 c or the entire length of the piling 14 c.

As best shown in FIGS. 13, 14, and 16, the foundation support apparatus 10 c includes a driving or anchoring tip 40 at the driving end of the support apparatus 10 c. The driving tip 40 includes a pointed end 42 which may improve driving efficiency and reduce friction between the substrate and the driving end of the support apparatus 10 c as the apparatus 10 c is driven into the substrate. The driving tip 40 also includes a pair of anchor plates, a smaller diameter anchor plate 44 and a larger diameter anchor plate 46 (FIGS. 13, 14, and 16). The anchor plates 44 and 46 may provide various functions, including supporting the apparatus 10 c near the base of the bore hole and anchoring the base of the support apparatus 10 c in the base of the bore hole once surrounded by flowable, hardening grout. A set of grout dispensing ports 48 are provided through the body of the driving tip 40 (FIGS. 14 and 16). Each dispensing port 48 is defined by a hole formed between the exterior of the body of the driving tip 40 and a grout pathway 50 on the interior of the driving tip 40 (FIG. 14). The grout dispensing ports 48 provide a discharge location for flowable, hardening grout to exit the hollow interior 36 of the piling 14 c to ensure that flowable, hardening grout is adequately and substantially completely filling the bore hole at the base of the support apparatus 10 c. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 14, the driving tip 40 includes a threaded portion which is provided to threadably couple the tip 40 to a threaded end of the piling extension 16 c. It will be appreciated that the driving tip 40 may be attached to the piling extension 16 c using other forms of fasteners, such as welds, pins, bolts, etc. In any of the illustrated embodiments of FIGS. 1-16, the rib 18, 18 b, or 18 c may be formed of a material similar to that of the elongate cylindrical body 20, which may include steel, aluminum, concrete, or the like. In preferred embodiments, the ribs 18, 18 b, or 18 c are formed of an annular piece of steel having an inner diameter that generally corresponds to the outer circumference of the cylindrical body 20, and is coupled to the exterior surface of the body 20 by mechanical fastening, such as by welding, a bolt, a screw, or the like. Because the rib 18, 18 b, or 18 c is welded or fastened onto the body 20, the rib 18, 18 b, or 18 c may be readily attached to the body 20 on a job site without the need for pre-planning or pre-fabrication. As such, the rib 18, 18 b, or 18 c may be selectively added to pilings being installed into areas of the substrates 12 that require additional total resistance force capability, such as areas displaying poor soil characteristics that were not identified during a sub-surface exploration of the job site.

In an alternative embodiment, the grout engageable member may be defined by a raised weld material, such that the exterior surface of the cylindrical body 20 is textured with a weld to form the raised grout engageable member. The grout engageable ribs 18, 18 b, or 18 c of support apparatuses 10, 10 a, 10 b, and 10 c illustrated in FIGS. 1-16 provide increased total resistive force to a pile via normal forces from the interaction between the upper and lower portions of the ribs 18, 18 b, or 18 c with the hardened grout 26. In contrast, the textured weld grout engageable member of the alternative embodiment provides increased total resistive force to a pile via a combination of increased skin friction from bonding between the hardened grout and the raised textured weld combined with some increased normal forces due to the raised profile of the weld. The textured weld may be uniformly applied in various patterns in uniform spaced arrangement along the exterior surface of the body 20 (e.g. diamonds, squares, zig zags etc.) or may be applied non-uniformly or randomly about the exterior surface 20 (e.g. scribbled lines of welds, or erratically spaced lines of welds).

In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 17, a method 100 is provided for improving the total resistive force capability of a foundational support apparatus 10. The method 100 includes selecting 102 an elongated foundation piling 14 on a construction site to be installed into a ground substrate 12 to support a superjacent structure such as a building thereon. The method 100 includes fixedly attaching 104 a rib 18 onto a portion of an exterior surface of the foundation piling 14, such as by welding or other form of mechanically fastening a piece of rib material onto the exterior surface, to form an improved foundation piling. The method 100 is particularly useful when additional total resistive force of the support apparatus 10 is desired due to poor or unexpected substrate conditions discovered on the construction site. The attaching 104 of the rib 18 is performable at the construction site without pre-fabrication or pre-planning. After attaching 104 the rib 18, the method includes installing 106 the piling 14 substantially vertically into the ground substrate 12, and subsequently directing 108 the flowable, hardening grout substance 26 around at least the portion the foundation piling 14 having the rib 18. Upon hardening of the grout 26, the rib 18 and the grout 26 cooperate to resist vertical movement due to loads applied to the support apparatus 10. The method may further include making a determination as to whether the substrate that the foundation piling is to be installed has adequate conditions and sufficient geotechnical capability to support the designed load that the foundation piling is intended to support. If it is determined that the condition and capability of the substrate is insufficient, the foundation piling may benefit from additional resistive force capability and thus the method provides the improved foundation piling to resist the loads in the poor substrate.

Thus, a piling type foundation support apparatus is provided for improving the overall resistive force capabilities of a piling in a ground substrate. The support apparatus includes a piling extension with a raised rib of material disposed on the exterior surface of the piling extension. The raised rib is configured to mechanically engage a grout substance surrounding the extension after the grout has hardened. The mechanical engagement between the rib and the grout substance provides a normal force that combines with the end bearing and skin friction capabilities of the piling to increase the total resistive force capability of the support apparatus. The foundation support apparatus is particularly useful to quickly and efficiently increase the resistive force capability of a foundation piling while on the construction site. Such increase in resistive force capability may be required upon discovery of poor ground substrate conditions that were not previously expected. A method is provided for preparing a foundation support apparatus on a construction site to improve the total resistive force capability of the foundation support apparatus.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the principles of the present invention which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent law including the doctrine of equivalents. 

1. A foundation support comprising: a piling having an elongate cylindrical body; and a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of said elongate cylindrical body and extending radially outward from an exterior surface of said cylindrical body; wherein said plurality of ribs are configured to increase the resistive force capability of said piling by improving engagement of the exterior of said cylindrical body within a ground substrate and said plurality of ribs configured to substantially not impede or assist the installation of said piling into the ground substrate.
 2. The foundation support of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of ribs is oriented substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said elongate cylindrical body and each of said plurality of ribs is substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of said elongate cylindrical body.
 3. The foundation support of claim 2, wherein each of said plurality of ribs extends either substantially around the entire exterior circumference of said elongate cylindrical body or only partially around the exterior circumference of said elongate cylindrical body.
 4. The foundation support of claim 1, wherein said elongate cylindrical body comprises a hollow interior configured to receive a flowable, hardening substance.
 5. The foundation support of claim 4, wherein said elongate cylindrical body further comprises a grout fill port disposed through an upper portion of said elongate cylindrical body and configured to receive the grout from a grout dispensing system and to direct the grout into said hollow interior of elongate cylindrical body.
 6. The foundation support of claim 1, further comprising another elongate cylindrical body disposed at one end of said piling, said elongate cylindrical body and said another elongate cylindrical body forming an elongate cylindrical assembly.
 7. The foundation support of claim 6, wherein said another elongate cylindrical body is disposed at an upper end of said piling and is configured to extend above an upper extent of the ground surface.
 8. The foundation support of claim 7, wherein said elongate cylindrical assembly comprises a hollow interior configured to receive a flowable, hardening grout and said another elongate cylindrical body further comprises a grout fill port disposed through an upper portion of said another elongate cylindrical body, said grout fill port configured to receive the grout from a grout dispensing system and to direct the grout into said hollow interior of said elongate cylindrical assembly.
 9. The foundation support of claim 6, wherein said another elongate cylindrical body comprises a plurality of ribs disposed in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of said another elongate cylindrical body and extending radially outward from an exterior surface of said another elongate cylindrical body.
 10. A method of on-site preparation and installation of a foundation piling for improved resistive force capability of the piling, said method comprising: selecting an elongated foundation piling on a construction site for installation at a desired location of the site; fixedly attaching a rib onto a portion of an exterior surface of the foundation piling while the foundation piling is located at the construction site; installing the foundation piling substantially vertically into a ground surface at the desired location of the construction site; and directing a flowable, hardening substance around at least the portion the foundation piling having the rib, wherein after the hardening substance has hardened, the rib and the hardening substance cooperate to resist a load applied to the foundation piling.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein said fixedly attaching the rib comprises welding the rib on the portion of the exterior surface of the foundation piling.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein said fixedly attaching the rib further comprises fixedly attaching a plurality of ribs in spaced arrangement along a portion of the length of the foundation piling wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends radially outward from an exterior surface of the foundation piling.
 13. The method of claim 12, wherein said fixedly attaching the plurality of ribs comprises orienting each of the plurality of ribs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling and positioning each of the plurality of ribs substantially coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling.
 14. The method of claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of ribs extends either substantially around the entire exterior circumference of the foundation piling or only partially around the exterior circumference of the foundation piling.
 15. The method of claim 10, wherein the rib defines a helical shape having a central axis that is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling and winding and extending along at least a portion of the exterior surface of the foundation piling.
 16. A method of field improving a foundation piling for improved resistive force capability of the piling, said method comprising: determining that a desired location for a foundation piling on a construction site requires a foundation piling having improved resistive force capability to support an intended load based on substrate conditions at the desired location; selecting an elongated foundation piling for installation at the desired location; coupling a grout engageable member onto an outer surface of the selected foundation piling at the construction site to form an improved foundation piling, the grout engageable member extending radially outward from the outer surface and is fixedly coupled to the outer surface by mechanical fastening; installing the improved foundation piling into a ground surface at the desired location of the construction site; and directing a flowable, hardening grout around at least the portion the improved foundation piling having the grout engageable member, wherein after the grout has hardened, the grout engageable member and the grout cooperate to resist a load applied to the improved foundation piling.
 17. The method of claim 16, wherein the grout engageable member comprises at least one chosen from a plurality of spaced apart ribs which are each oriented substantially perpendicular and coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling, a helical rib having a central axis that is coaxial to the longitudinal axis of the foundation piling, and a raised rib formed by depositing material by weld onto the outer surface of the foundation piling.
 18. The method of claim 16, wherein said coupling the grout engageable member comprises welding the grout engageable member onto the outer surface of the foundation piling.
 19. The method of claim 16, wherein said directing the grout comprises directing the grout through a hollow interior of the improved foundation piling and discharging at least some of the grout through a hole disposed between the hollow interior and the outer surface of the improved foundation piling, such that the grout discharged through the hole encases at least a portion of the grout engageable member.
 20. The method of claim 16, wherein said installing the improved foundation piling comprises boring a substantially vertical bore hole into the ground surface to a desired depth, the bore hole having a diameter larger than the maximum diameter of the improved foundation piling, and placing the improved foundation piling into the bore hole. 